1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method and system for controlling trolling motors used by fishermen, and more particularly to a microcontroller-based trolling motor system operating a plurality of transducers organized to transmit and receive sonar signals in order to set the direction and speed of the trolling motor and cause it to follow a user-specified depth contour of the underwater bottom terrain, or to maintain a user-specified distance from the shore, or to find the deepest area of the underwater bottom terrain.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In fishing, once the angler runs the boat to the desired vicinity, the boat is operated by a smaller outboard motor, a "trolling motor", powered by a battery to provide maneuverability and to minimize disturbance to the fishing environment.
The angler, knowing the temperature of the water, can determine the depth at which the object fish prefers to swim. The angler would then wish to maintain the boat over this depth and fish at this depth. In another scenario, the angler may simply wish to fish at the deepest part of a creek that may or may not be at the middle of the creek. Furthermore, in another scenario, the angler may wish to fish at a relatively fixed distance from the shore.
In two of the three scenarios mentioned above or variations thereof, the angler would have to manually activate the sonar to find the depth of the current boat location, steer the boat in one direction, read the sonar again to see if the boat is being steered in the correct direction for the desired depth, and adjust the steering again if necessary. This process is repeated continuously until the angler is content with the location of the boat. If there is a drift current or strong wind, the boat would be pushed downwind or downstream and the angler would have to account for the drift current and constantly readjust and operate the boat. In all three scenarios, between monitoring the sonar and operating the motor, the angler has very little time left for fishing.
Thus, it is desirable to have an automated system whereby the angler sets the desirable mode once, is free from operating the sonar and the motor, and is allowed to spend most of his or her time on fishing.
Transducer systems operating in conjunction with microcontroller have been used in fish finder systems and bottom detection systems. However, there are no known microcontroller based systems operating transducers and a motor similar to the invention disclosed herein.